Featured Article | A Pothole in Your Pathway: Open Sesame

Have you ever been tempted to use the exact same, or at least similar, usernames and passwords for multiple online accounts? Well, as you may have guessed, this practice gives an identity thief easy access to your information in various places in one fell swoop. First of all, if you use a similar username or the same e-mail address for various online accounts, they will be easier to find. The major misstep is in using the same password. Your password acts as a key. Should an unauthorized party gain access to that key, he or she can unlock the account to grab any and every bit of information that you have stored inside the site or service. Moreover, the hacker may attempt to access your other accounts using that same password. Unauthorized access to your account may lead to impersonation. The hacker may use your online account to spread malicious links that, when clicked, cause a security breach thus exposing your social media contacts to identity theft. Financial fraud is not the only motive for identity theft. Someone that seeks to damage a person’s reputation might commit identity theft by hacking into the account and impersonate the owner. Fake or imposter accounts are another example of identity theft that occurs on social media. The goal may range from cyber bullying to extortion. Remember to periodically change your passwords to further decrease the chances of someone hacking into your account in the long term. Report imposter accounts to the social networking service.

Do you think that unauthorized access to your online account is as easy as saying “Open Sesame?”

Tip: Vary passwords and usernames for all online accounts and change them periodically.

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